If you’re a parent, whether of a pet or a human, or if you like to ensure clean carpets and couches, it helps to have a stain-removing appliance. For many, that tool is the HuffPost-favorite Bissell Little Green carpet cleaner. But for loads of others, the Shark StainStriker is a fantastic alternative — and one that several reviewers say is actually better than Bissell, due to its superior suction power, easy-to-clean design and powerful stain removal.
Reviews of this thing say it removes everything from cat urine out of rugs to 10-year-old coffee stains from car seats. Even better, right now, as part of Amazon and Walmart’s Early Black Friday sales you can harness that power for over 30% off, making it under $100 at Amazon and Walmart. We’re not sure how long this deal will last, so jump on it.
The stain-removing magic comes from its innovative, dual-tank design.
The StainStriker comes packaged with two solutions to dilute, clean and wipe away stains with water and suction power: a 6-ounce bottle of Shark’s Deep Clean Pro Formula and 12 ounces of an OXY Multiplier Formula. After loading it, the machine mixes the two formulas and attacks stains directly.
It also separates the dirty water from the clean, so when you’re all done, you can dump it without any mess. It also works as a vacuum to grab debris and scraps, plus with its attachments — an integrated crevice tool and a 3.5-inch reversible bristle tool — you can add abrasion as needed. The device is also less than 8 pounds, making it great for vehicle use.
Of course, it’s an excellent investment for pet owners. “Love this thing!,” says one reviewer. “I have an elderly dog who can’t quite make it through a full work day anymore and has accidents frequently. I was sick of wasting all the paper towels soaking up the mess. I got this and i love it! I can vacuum up the mess, treat the stain, vacuum up the stain cleaner and it’s all done. It was perfect for what I needed and if treated quickly cleans up the stain COMPLETELY!”
It’s also great for dry messes and set-in stains.
HuffPost Head of Life and Commerce, Kristen Aiken, said this video of the StainStriker essentially erasing marker from a white couch “sold her” on the vacuum. While it’s an excellent tool for wet messes, many reviews highlight the vacuum’s ability to clean dry, set-in and sometimes years-old stains from furniture, cars, stairs and carpets, often better than other machines.
″...This machine cleaned so quickly and painlessly, even managing to remove marker stains we thought had NO chance of coming out,” one reviewer said. “The bissell always was a struggle to use and wore me out trying to clean with it, but this one was very powerful making it easy to scrub and suction with, so i was able to get more done in less time and with less effort.”
Another reviewer detailed the “simple” process saying, ”...You spray, the brush agitates the stain, and the powerful suction lifts the mess away. The area is left just damp, not soaking wet, and dries quickly.”
Suck up those stains, spills, messes and more and grab the StainStriker while it’s on sale — and don’t slack because we’re not sure how long this deal will last.
Read more promising reviews of the Shark StainStriker portable carpet and upholstery cleaner and grab one for under $100:
“This thing is a total game-changer for anyone dealing with spills, stains, or just everyday messes. It’s super easy to use, lightweight, and surprisingly powerful for its size. I used it on a set-in coffee stain and a mystery stain on the couch—both gone like magic. The dual solution system works wonders, and it leaves everything looking (and smelling!) fresh. It’s also quick-drying, so no soggy carpets or waiting around. Honestly, it’s one of those cleaning gadgets that actually delivers on the promise. If you have pets, kids, or just want to keep your furniture and rugs looking new—this is a must-have.” — Ana
“If I could give this ten stars, I would! This is the best little carpet cleaner I’ve ever had and I’ve had many! If you have pets, this is the carpet cleaner you need! I had a spot on a shag rug that had been there for months. I honestly was skeptical that it would come up but I gave it a clean and you can’t even tell it was ever a spot. I’ve had my dogs throw up on rugs and will clean it immediately and you can’t tell anything ever happened. It’s user friendly, comes with solution that will last a long time (a little bit goes a long way), and very easy to clean afterwards. This carpet cleaner is truly magical and well worth the cost!” — Ashley Bridges
“For years I have been struggling with the Bissell Little Green Machine but now I struggle no more. The Shark Carpet (and more) Cleaner is a well designed and result delivering machine which is much better than anything else I have used in the past, excluding professional rental equipment, but this unit costs the same as a 24 hour professional rental and it’s yours to keep.The one thing that makes this a winner hands down, even before you compare performance is how easy it is to clean. Panels pop off so you can get into parts to rinse them clean after use. The discard reservoir is accessible for scrubbing and rinsing. The Shark seems to have more power than other products I have used and the twin cleaning reservoirs is a good idea, so the solutions mix while the unit is being used and deliver excellent cleaning power. The unit is compact and no heavier than other brands, so it is easy to move around, plus it comes with a few extra tools, however, there is no storage solution for the pet tool or the extra wide brush, so I have had to repurpose a small cloth bag which is stored with the main unit. Maybe future offerings could include an accessory pouch.
Overall I am having way too much fun with this, and I am almost tempted to let my dog pee on the carpet so I can test the pet mess tool. No more Bissell for me, ever.” — IC
The Real Deal: We use deal trackers and commerce experience to sift through “fake” hike-and-drop deals and other deceptive sales tactics. Products will usually be rated at least 4 stars with a minimum 15% discount. (And when there’s an exception, we’ll tell you why.)